The Unwanted Pup
By Christy Lowman
Burke County
By now you have probably noticed that I love animals and have a weak spot for those who do not have a home, are orphaned, hurt, or treated badly. In fact, most of the animals we’ve had for pets have been strays.
Even though we’ve had her since February, I haven’t told you about our last rescue, Brownie. We purchased Brownie to get her out of her current situation. She was underweight, and her fur was missing on her chest. The cartridge in her ears was damaged. She had never been wormed nor had any shots. She had spent almost all of her time in a crate that was too small. She even had to use the bathroom in there. So when we got her she was very stinky.
Brownie was pretty much crazy for the first three days we got her. She didn’t know how to act or what to do, being free from the cage. She ran nonstop and made friends instantly with Dug who was almost the same size and age. We threw her bedding away and put her crate in the basement. It has never been used again.
Within the first week, she gained 7 pounds and her ears repaired themselves. Now they stand straight up.
We wormed her, got her shots, and got her fixed.
Once her ears mended we realized that she was a Rat Pinscher, half Miniature Doberman, and half Rat Terrier.
Miniature Pinschers look like full-size Dobermans but smaller. They are known as the “King of Toy” (they are the largest dog recognized in the “Toy Group”). Another name for them is Min Pin. They are an old breed from Germany, used to hunt and kill rats.
Min Pins are hyper, good escape artists, and they love to gnaw on everything.
Sometimes, it feels like Brownie is a rodent instead of a dog because of all the things she has destroyed and chewed on. There is not a single piece of furniture or flower pot that does not have her teeth marks on it on our deck. Some of this is also because she is still in her puppy stage.
Rat Terriers are an American breed named by Theodore Roosevelt. They are working dogs used for hunting, killing rats, and even a watchdog.
These dogs are very smart problem solvers, escape artists, stubborn, and love to play with balls. Rat Terriers are very affectionate and love to hug you with their arms.
Brownie definitely has brought life to our home, from Brownie’s kisses to the quirky little things she does that make us laugh.
I can’t help but think of Jesus when I think of Brownie’s story. King Herod wanted to kill Him, so his parents had to hide and run away from their family and home.
Jesus needed a place to be born. He was born in surroundings acceptable only for animals, not a king.
People didn’t accept Jesus throughout His life, but those who did were blessed to know Him.
When I look at Brownie, an unexpected addition, I see how much she has brought to our family, how much she needed us, and how much we needed her, even though we didn’t know it.
In the same way, we need Jesus. We don’t realize how much we need Him. Instead, we try to do things on our own. But in truth, I don’t know how I would make it in this crazy life without Him. He has helped me through so much and has answered so many prayers. He has performed many miracles in my life. Here are some examples.
- He saved me when I got caught outside in a tornado when I was a child.
- He saved my mother and brother when they were hit head-on by a drunk driver.
- Jesus kept my husband safe when he served in the Middle East.
- He saved my father when he had the “widowmaker heart attack” at age 50.
- He saved my dad again by making the tractor turn in another direction, when it ran over him, keeping it from running over his head.
- He saved my son who was born at 24 wks. and 5 days, weighing only 1lb 12 oz.
- I wasn’t supposed to be able to have any other children, but God blessed us with another son.
These are just a few miracles that Jesus has performed for me. If you don’t know Jesus, He is the perfect and necessary addition to your life.
God gave us authority over the animals to take care of them. In return, animals have helped us from the beginning; they’ve been used for clothing, companionship, and food. They provided a means of travel and escape so Jesus wouldn’t be killed by King Herod. They shared their home so Jesus would have a place to be born. Animals have had key roles since the beginning to carry out God’s plans. Who remembers the story of the talking donkey? Numbers 22:21-39.
So please remember that God put us in charge of the animals, to take care and treat them humanely, which is a huge responsibility. After all, they are God’s creations too.
Dear Lord, please help us to remember to keep Jesus first. Help us keep our eyes open so we see and realize the miracles and answered prayers You perform in our life. Help us give You the glory by telling the world about the things you do for us. Dear Lord, help us also remember to be kind to animals, even when they get on our nerves and make us angry. In Jesus’s precious name I pray Amen.
Proverbs 12:10 “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.”
Bibliography:
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/miniature-pinscher/
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Christy Lowman is a Christian author and illustrator that lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two children. She enjoys writing and illustrating books for all ages. Some of her short stories are published with Guideposts and HCI. Christy gives all the glory to God in everything she does. A portion of every book sold from the Small Bible Character Series will be donated to battle human trafficking. If you enjoy her books, “like’ her author page on Facebook and let her know! You can buy her books at //www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AChristy+Lowman&s=relevancerank&text=Christy+Lowman&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1. You can reach her at //www.facebook.com/authorChristyLowman/
or christyssoaps@yahoo.com
You can read more Christian news from Christy here.
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